Valley voices to perform Handel’s Messiah on Sunday

WASILLA — Jessie Eddings, an accomplished local musician, will conduct the 24th annual Mat-Su Community Messiah sing along for the Handel’s Messiah performance at 6 p.m., March 29 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 821 E. Dellwood St., Wasilla.

The performance is free and the facility can hold up to 1,000 people.

Although Eddings previously has been both a Messiah chorus member and soloist, this is her first opportunity to direct Handel’s masterpiece. She is a recent graduate with a Master of Music degree from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. Currently, she teaches string orchestra at Birchtree Charter School, maintains a private studio for string, piano, and voice students, and participates in the Mat-Valley String Orchestra. She participated in many local music ensembles including the Alaska Children’s Choir and the Anchorage Youth Symphony. Eddings has traveled extensively with various performing groups and continues to be involved in the local arts. She was born and raised in the state of Alaska and resides in Palmer.

This year, returning performer Dixie Hansen will have a different perspective than usual. Hansen is the only member of the choir to have sung in all 24 performances, but this year she will be on the organizing side of things. She was recently called upon to become the Wasilla Stake Cultural Arts Director for the Mormon church, so it is her responsibility to organize all aspects of the performance.

“For 23 performances I have been able to just come, perform and enjoy it and then I realized that this year, if it was going to happen, it was up to me. I gained a new appreciation of what those before me have done to have the Handel’s Messiah performance come together,” Hansen said.

Dorothy Hight will also return this year as a seasoned soloist and singer in 22 of the past 24 performances. This year she will perform “I Know that My Redeemer Liveth” and “If God Be For Us.”

Mark Hansen will perform in his 23rd Messiah this year as a soloist, singing, “He was Despised” and “The Trumpet Shall Sound.”

Soloists include: Joshua Anderson, Amber Anderson and high school student Jessica Owens.